Memorial for Buddhist Writings 1880

Murase Taiitsu created this Memorial for Buddhist Writings in nineteenth-century Japan using ink on paper. Notice how the entire composition is dominated by an irregular, stone-like shape, rendered with a mottled texture achieved through varying densities of ink wash. This creates a tactile contrast with the smooth, calligraphic characters that overlay it. The stark tonal contrast between the dark 'stone' and the luminous white text draws our eyes to the characters, yet the rough texture of the stone suggests impermanence, mirroring the Buddhist concept of impermanence. The formal arrangement—the verticality of the stone and the ordered columns of text—evokes traditional steles or monuments. However, the soft, blurred edges and the almost ethereal quality of the ink wash destabilize the monumentality typically associated with such forms. Consider how Taiitsu's use of form, texture, and contrast invites reflection on the interplay between permanence and transience, challenging us to contemplate the ephemeral nature of both text and monument.